Maryland Man Fights Deportation to Liberia After Charges Dismissed
Kilmar Abrego Garcia asks federal judge to block deportation to Liberia after criminal charges dismissed, seeking removal only to Costa Rica which offered refugee status.
WASHINGTON — A Maryland man wrongfully deported to El Salvador is asking a federal judge to prevent his removal to any country except Costa Rica, which has offered him refugee status, following the dismissal of criminal charges against him last week.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia filed a habeas petition Thursday in federal District Court for the District of Maryland, arguing the Trump administration has not made genuine efforts to deport him to a safe country where he would not face harm or persecution.
The filing comes after a federal judge in Nashville, Tennessee, dismissed criminal indictment charges of human smuggling against Abrego Garcia on May 22. The judge called the prosecution “vindictive and selective.”
Criminal Charges Stemmed from Traffic Stop
The U.S. Department of Justice’s criminal charges against Abrego Garcia originated from a 2022 traffic stop. The Trump administration had required him to plead guilty to these charges as a condition for allowing his removal to Costa Rica.
Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to the charges. Since the dismissal, the Trump administration has attempted to remove him to the African nations of Eswatini and Uganda, according to court documents.
Protections Against Return to El Salvador
Abrego Garcia has maintained protections against deportation to El Salvador since 2019. His wrongful deportation to a Salvadoran mega-prison known as CECOT drew national attention to the Trump administration’s deportation policies.
The Trump administration is now attempting to deport Abrego Garcia to Liberia, a west African country. However, his legal petition argues before Maryland federal Judge Paula Xinis that officials have not demonstrated he would be safe there or that he would not be sent back to El Salvador.
Costa Rica has agreed to accept Abrego Garcia and grant him refugee status and protections. His attorneys argue this represents the only viable option that ensures his safety and complies with international law regarding non-refoulement.
Ongoing Legal Battle
The habeas petition filed in the District Court for the District of Maryland is the latest development in Abrego Garcia’s prolonged legal battle against deportation. His case has become emblematic of broader debates over immigration enforcement and the treatment of asylum seekers.
Court documents indicate that the government’s approach has shifted multiple times, attempting deportation to various countries in Africa after the Central American option became conditional on a guilty plea that Abrego Garcia refused to enter.
The case remains pending before Judge Xinis, who will determine whether the Trump administration’s deportation efforts comply with legal requirements for ensuring deportees are not sent to countries where they face persecution or harm.
